Longitudinal cutting and/or grooving machine for material webs in motion, particularly cardboard means

ABSTRACT

A longitudinally cutting and grooving machine for material webs in motion, in particular cardboard webs, comprising a plurality of tool pairs on opposite sides of the web, including separate adjustment drives for each pair of tools, and further including a value counter, a set value indicator, and a comparison device therefor.

United States Patent Brandl Dec. 30, 1975 LONGITUDINAL CUTTING AND/OR [56] References Cited WEBS IN MOTION PARTICULARLY 3,036,483 5 1962 Porter 93 582 R x CARDBOARD MEANS 3,176,566 4/l965 Patterson, 11.... 83 498 x Inventor: Hermann Josef Mantel, 3,257,882 6/1966 LUllB 61 al.... 83/499 X Germany 3,332,326 7/1967 Haas 93/582 R 3,540,340 11/1970 Koskela 83/499 [73] Assignee; Coulter Electronics, Inc, Hialeah 3,760,697 9/1973 Besemann 83/425.4 X

Fla. Primary ExaminerWillie G. Abercrombie [22] Filed" 1973 Attorney, Agent, or FirmSilverman & Cass, Ltd. [21] Appl. No.1 405,911

[57] ABSTRACT Foreign Application Priority Data A longitudinally cutting and grooving machine for ma- Oct. 13, 1972 Germany 2250125 terial webs in motion, in particular cardboard webs, comprising a plurality of tool pairs on opposite sides [52] US. Cl. 83/499; 83/425.4; 83/501; of the web, including separate adjustment drives for 93/58.l; 93/58.2 R; 83/5 each pair of tools, and further including a value [51] Int. Cl. B26D 1/24; B26D 5/02 counter, a set value indicator, and a comparison de- [58] Field of Search 83/425.2, 425.4, 498, 499,

vice therefor.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 4 U.S. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 US Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet 3 of4 3,929,047

l'II/II/IIIII/IIIIIII U.S. Patant Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet 4 of4 3,929,047

Fig. 4

LONGITUDINAL CUTTING AND/OR GROOVING MACHINE FOR MATERIAL WEBS IN MOTION, PARTICULARLY CARDBOARD MEANS The invention relates to a longitudinal cutting or comprising drives for the tools and adjustment drives for the displacement of the tools which are coupled outside the material web for associated pairs of tools, and finally comprising a positioning system for the pairs of knives, said system encompassing the actual value and the theoretical value transmitters as well as a comparison apparatus.

Such a machine is known from .the German Publicaspindles extending adjacent thereto. This offers the advantage that the threaded spindles extending parallel over the entire processing width of the maximum size of the material web possible to be operated on are multi-positioned but connected only to one single spindle. A vibration of the adjustment spindles in operation is avoided by the multi-position while at the same time ht cross-sections of the adjustment spindles can be reduced.

According to another embodiment of the invention each adjustment drive is connected with an individually connectable and disconnectable adjustment motor and each adjustment motor is controllable by the comparison apparatus for actal and theoretical values.

According toan additional embodiment of the invention the one set of tools of the pairs of tools can be approached toward the other tools via a feed drive and tion Copy OS No. 2,l42,ll7. In this machine according to prior art the adjustment of the knives on each side of theweb is accomplished by one single threaded spindle adjustment motor. An entrainment means which ;can

shift along the guide for the knives is located on each adjustment spindle, whereby the knives canbe engaged and disengaged consecutively with this displacement stop. An actual value transmitter in the form of an electronic impulse transmitter and countercoacts with the adjustment drive and the data furnished the actual valueand the theoretic value for the tool position are in agreement. It is disadvantageous in this machine of prior art that the precision of adjustment of the knives is not sufficiently exact, because a certain adjustment play and thus coaction of the engagement apparatus at the tool carriage, are present; on the other hand the adjustment time is considerable, because in each case the entrainment meansmust be moved back into their zero position, and a new adjustment or setup can only be carried out from said zero position. v

The invention is based on theproblem of creating a longitudinal cutting and/or grooving machine which. automatically, exactly and rapidly allows for the setting up of the tools according to pre-determined theoretic values.

According to the invention this problemis solved by providing for each pair of tools a separate adjustment drive and by fixedly connecting an actual value transmitter with each adjustment drive.

Because the adjustment drive remains connected with the tool carriage force-lockingl'y and by providng providing separate adjustment drive for each pair of tools, with which an actual value transmitter is connected, an extremely precise indication of the actual value is accomplished, because no separation ever takes place between adjustment drive and tool. Furthermore, the adjustment of a tool from one position into a new position can be accomplished very rapidly, because a resetting to zero need not be accomplished for any part of the adjustment drive, rather, the adjustment of the tool from the position occupied is madefor the new position.

In an adjustment drive with thread play, based on an improvement of the invention, each carriage positioning a tool and guided in guides is provided with the spindle nut and with spindle bearings for the thread this feed drive is likewise associated an actual value transmitter connected to the comparison apparatus. This makes it possible to separate the tools for replacement or the like or to place certain tools, like grooving tools for example into a certain relative position to each other, in order to thereby determine the depth of the grooves.

In order to carry out the approaching of the tools on the one web side against the tools on the other web side in a simple manner, the guides for all tools on one side of the web are vertically movable via bilaterally arranged stroke spindles which are propelled by a stroke motor via a connecting spindle.

' To avoid damage of the tools whenthey are placed close to each other, according to another embodiment of the invention a tool of the one pair of tools is axially adjustable by a limited path.

This adjustable tool preferably is adjustable hydraulically or pneumatically.

A particularly simplified adjustment and an elimination of disrupting hydraulic or pneumatic hose is achieved if in each case the adjustment means are connected to the adjustment spindles.

The tools of a pair of knives can be moved this way from their separated position into a staggered ap-' proached position where the toolsdo not yet contact each other, and only subsequently thereto will the axial displacement of theone tool take place until it adheres against the other one with cutting edges or the like.

That way the tools are treated most gently.

For adjustment to the course of the edge of the material and thus to certain web widths the machine frame" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 represents a lateral view of the longitudinal cutting and/or grooving machine, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a partial section along line ll-ll in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a partial section along line IIIIII in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a schematic section along line IV-IV in FIG. 1.

The longitudinal and/or grooving machine 1 is provided with a basic frame 3 fixedly connected to a foundation 2, the machine carriage frame 4 positioned on said basic frame 3 being positioned in a limited displaceability in the direction of the arrow I indicated in FIG. 1. A motor 5 is used to displace the frame 4. The frame 4 consists ofa yoke-like frame part 6 and upright parts 7 and 8.

The longitudinal cutting and/or grooving machine 1 is intended particularly for use with cardboard installations. Mostly in such a facility for producing corrugated cardboard the cardboard web to be produced is moved horizontally through the entire installation. The horizontal movement of the corrugated cardboard web 9 thus is assumed for the embodiment represented in the drawing of the longitudinal cutting and/or grooving machine.

Tools 10, 11 are arranged above and below the undulated cardboard web 9 indicated by dots and dashed in FIG. 1. Various kinds of tools, like cutting knives or grooving tools are arranged in series as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the web in several parallel planes extending transversely to-be web 9. Preferably, the cutting knives are combined with subsequent grooving tools so that an undulated cardboard web passing through the machine is cut and then it can be grooved according to the cardboard cuts to be produced.

Identical tools, for example cutting knives or grooving tools, are provided in the same transverse plane.

The tools indicated in FIG. 1 above and below the web 9 are cutting tools, whereby in each case one cutting knife above and one below the web 9 are combined into one pair of tools.

The cutting knives 10 above, and the cutting knives 11 below the web 9 are positioned exchangeably in carriages l2 and the carriages 12 are guided displaceably transversely to the longitudinal axis of the web 9 at cross beams l3, 14 which interconnect the frame uprights 7, 8. The upper tool guide 13 is thereby connected rigidly to,the frame uprights 7, 8, while the cross beam 14 is vertically adjustable in the direction of the arrow ll. Stroke spindles 15, 16 jointly propelled via a connecting spindle 17 by a stroke motor 18 are connected laterally to the lower guide beam 14. h

The individual tools above and below the web 9 are propelled in each case jointly by drive shafts 20, 21, extending centrally through the tools, for example knives 10, 11. The drive shafts 20, 21 are grooved so that the tools afe displaceable. along the rotating shafts 20, 21.

The shafts 20, 21 are operatively interconnected in a manner not shown and are propelled via a clutch 22 by the main drive 23, for example, of the overall installation.

One adjustment spindle 30, 31 in each case leads to each of the tool carriages of the pairs of tools, a, b, c, d and e which extend over the entire machining surface of the machine. In the exemplified embodiment five partly shown parallel adjustment spindles 30, 31 thus extend in each case above and below the web 9. The adjustment spindles 30, 31 associated in each case with one pair are operatively interconnected in a manner not shown at the frontal side of the frame upright 8.

Moreover, an actual value transmitter 35 is connected to each spindle, preferably form-lockingly in the form of a mechanical counter with electrical signal output. This meter counts the revolutions of the adjustment spindle forward and reverse. This results in each case immediately in the position of the associated pair of tools.

As visible from FIG. 2, the carriage 12 of each tool 10, 11 are provided at their top and bottom side with guide bearings 40 for the adjustment spindles 30, 31. Thereby one guide bearing in each case is designed as a spindle nut, so that upon rotation of the associated adjustment spindle the corresponding carriage 12 is propelled in the direction of adjustment.

The carriages 12 are guided by bearing rollers 41 along a bar guiding system 42 at the cross beam 13. The carriage guide on the opposite side comprises an adjustable sliding seat guide 43.

As visible from FIG. 3, the knives 10, 11 are screwed at rotatable hubs 50 of the carriages 12 by screws 51. Thereby the upper tool 10 is arranged axially displaceably by a limited path in relation to the lower tool 11. For this a compressed air conduit 52 leads to the hub 50 of upper tool 10. The compressed air reaches a pressure chamber 53. At the proper pressure in this chamber 53 the knife 10 is displaced along with the associated hub part 50 in an axial direction against the drive shaft 21, in fact to the right in FIG. 3. The resetting of the knife 10 is accomplished via a spring 54. This makes it possible to bring the tools l0, 11, close to each other without damaging their cutting edges. The knife disks 11 fixed by their adjustment spindles are lifted from their open position by the stroke spindles l5, 16, toward the knives 10 whereby the knives 10 are in their position shifted axially against the drive shaft 21. Once all tools 11 have reached their terminal position in altitude, the compressed air is supplied and the tools 10 shift to the left by a small limited path, when viewed in FIG. 3, whereby the tools 10 adhere by pressure axially against the associated tools 11.

FIG. 4 shows that the undulated cardboard web 9 passing in the direction of the arrow III is exposed first to the cutting tools 10, 11 and subsequently to the grooving tools 10', 11' and then once more to the grooving tools 10'', 11''. Thus the undulated cardboard 'web can be cut in one operation, for example into the webs for cardboard and at the same time it can be provided with the corresponding grooves for folding th e cardboard parts.

So that the tools which trim the edges of the passing undulated cardboard web 9, that is for example, that the pairs of cutting tools a, e also assume their proper position in relation to the web in each case, an edge adjustment is provided via an edge sensor 60. This edge sensor 60 scans the one edge of the passing undulated cardboard web. If the undulated cardboard web moves away from this sensor, the latter issues a command via the=electrical control systems 61, 62 to the motors 62 for the adjustment spindles of the tools, to occupy corresponding corrected positions. A separate drive motor 63 is present for each adjustment spindle associated with a pair of tools.

All actual value counters 35 for the adjustment spindles, as well as the actual value counter for the stroke adjustment 64 are connected to the electrical control systems 61, 62. Moreover, the theoretic value transmitters 65 and 66 for the adjustment spindles and/or the stroke spindles are connected.

A particularly simple axial press-on device is obtained for the knife tools by impinging all adjustment spindles of the lower tools 11 with a pneumatic cylinder, instead of pneumatically impinging each individual tool. as represented in FIG. 3. This eliminates particularly all possibly disturbing hose conduits to the individual carriages of the tools.

What it is to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A longitudinal cutting and grooving machine for webs of material, particularly corrugated cardboard webs, comprising: a frame, a plurality of pairs of upper and lower rotating tools positioned on opposite sides of the web, guide means arranged transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web enabling to displace the tools along said guide means, a plurality of drives for the tools and adjustment drives for the displacement of the tools, an actual value counter, a set value indicator and comparing device therefor; means for positioning the pairs of tools, the actual value counters, the set value indicators, and the comparison means; each pair of tools including a pair of upper and lower adjustment spindles, an adjustment drive and means for connecting said adjustment spindles rigidly mechanically to said adjustment drive and the actual value counter; wherein in connections of the adjustment spindles with one another, with the adjustment drive and the actual value counter are disposed on the outside of the machine frame; and further including means for driving the upper and lower tools by said adjustment spindles,

means for permanently coupling each adjustment spindle and its respective tool to one another, and

means including one common motor for driving the upper and lower adjustment spindles of an associated tool pair, wherein the motor is lockingly coupled to the two spindles.

2. The machine as set forth in claim 1, in which the adjustment drive comprises a threaded spindle, the machine further including carriages for positioning 6 tools therein, and means for guiding the carriages, each carriage comprising a spindle nut and threaded bearings for threaded spindles extending on the side thereof.

3. The machine as set forth in claim 1, in which each adjustment drive includes an adjustment motor comprising means for individually connecting and disconnecting same, and means associated with the comparison device for controlling the adjustment motor by the actual and set values.

4. The machine as set forth in claim 1, comprising feed drive means for placing first tools of the tool pairs against second tools thereof, said feed drive means being associated with an actual value counter connected to the comparison device.

5. The machine as set forth in claim 4, comprising means associated with the guides for the tools on one side of the web for vertically adjusting said guides, said last means including stroke spindles, a stroke motor and a connecting spindle for driving said stroke spindles.

6. The machine as set forth in claim 1, including means for axially displacing each first tool of a tool pair along a limited path.

7. The machine as set forth in claim 6, including hydraulic or pneumatic means for adjusting the axially adjustable tool.

8. The machine as set forth in claim 7, in which the adjustment devices are connected to the adjustment spindles.

9. The machine as set forth in claim 1, including means for displacing and locking the machine frame and all tools transversely to the longitudinal axis of the material web. 4

10. The machine as set forth in claim 1, comprising a drive spindle traversing the tools centrally for driving all axially aligned tools, the tools being displaceable in relation to said drive spindle.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,929,047

DATED December 30, 1975 INV ENTOR( Hermann Josef Brandl ltis certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the title page, block [73] change the Assignee from "Coulter Electronics, Inc., Hialeah, Fla." to BHS- Bayerische Berg, Hutten and Salzwerke Aktiengesellschaft, Munchen, Germany Column 5, line 26, change "in" to the Signed and Scaled this Fourth Day of January 1977 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN A! I 8 ff C ommissioner of Parents and Trademarks 

1. A longitudinal cutting and grooving machine for webs of material, particularly corrugated cardboard webs, comprising: a frame, a plurality of pairs of upper and lower rotating tools positioned on opposite sides of the web, guide means arranged transverse to the longitudinal direction of the web enabling to displace the tools along said guide means, a plurality of drives for the tools and adjustment drives for the displacement of the tools, an actual value counter, a set value indicator and comparing device therefor; means for positioning the pairs of tools, the actual value counters, the set value indicators, and the comparison means; each pair of tools including a pair of upper and lower adjustment spindles, an adjustment drive and means for connecting said adjustment spindles rigidly mechanically to said adjustment drive and the actual value counter; wherein in connections of the adjustment spindles with one another, with the adjustment drive and the actual value counter are disposed on the outsIde of the machine frame; and further including means for driving the upper and lower tools by said adjustment spindles, means for permanently coupling each adjustment spindle and its respective tool to one another, and means including one common motor for driving the upper and lower adjustment spindles of an associated tool pair, wherein the motor is lockingly coupled to the two spindles.
 2. The machine as set forth in claim 1, in which the adjustment drive comprises a threaded spindle, the machine further including carriages for positioning tools therein, and means for guiding the carriages, each carriage comprising a spindle nut and threaded bearings for threaded spindles extending on the side thereof.
 3. The machine as set forth in claim 1, in which each adjustment drive includes an adjustment motor comprising means for individually connecting and disconnecting same, and means associated with the comparison device for controlling the adjustment motor by the actual and set values.
 4. The machine as set forth in claim 1, comprising feed drive means for placing first tools of the tool pairs against second tools thereof, said feed drive means being associated with an actual value counter connected to the comparison device.
 5. The machine as set forth in claim 4, comprising means associated with the guides for the tools on one side of the web for vertically adjusting said guides, said last means including stroke spindles, a stroke motor and a connecting spindle for driving said stroke spindles.
 6. The machine as set forth in claim 1, including means for axially displacing each first tool of a tool pair along a limited path.
 7. The machine as set forth in claim 6, including hydraulic or pneumatic means for adjusting the axially adjustable tool.
 8. The machine as set forth in claim 7, in which the adjustment devices are connected to the adjustment spindles.
 9. The machine as set forth in claim 1, including means for displacing and locking the machine frame and all tools transversely to the longitudinal axis of the material web.
 10. The machine as set forth in claim 1, comprising a drive spindle traversing the tools centrally for driving all axially aligned tools, the tools being displaceable in relation to said drive spindle. 